Thread the needle and tie a knot at the end. Prep the rip by doing a back stitch on one side of the open seam, going all the way from one end of the damage to the other. This will prevent the seam ...

It’s not terrible advice, actually. I wouldn’t use Seam Grip, though that’s designed for tents and fabrics. REI sells some stuff called Ultra Seal Welt/Seam Guard ($6; www.rei.com) that’s better ...